Dugong tartare

Ingredients

• 300 g dugong meat (See Note)
• 2 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
• 3 quandongs, thinly sliced
• ½ tsp lemon thyme
• ½ tsp ground pepperberry
• ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt, for seasoning
• 1 eschallot, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground bush tomatoes
• ½ tsp celery salt
• 1 tbsp mustard
• Yam chips, to serve

Instructions

1. Finely chop the dugong meat into small cubes, then set aside. Into a mortar and pestle, combine the capers, quandong, lemon thyme and pepperberry. Crush into a thick paste, then stir through the olive oil and a generous pinch of salt.
2. Add the dugong to the mortar with the eschallot, bush tomatoes, celery salt and mustard and stir gently to combine. Serve the dugong tartare directly in the mortar with yam chips on the side.

Note:

Dugong is a traditional hunting food source for Torres Strait Islanders, who have special provisions to hunt dugong and turtles in certain areas, and there is also a large sanctuary which is off limits to the traditional hunting practices. Find more information here.

Watch how to make this recipe on Episode 8 of Island Echoes with Nornie Bero.